How will the infrastructure plan affect Westchester and the Hudson Valley?

This bill would aim to improve not just roads and bridges, but public transit, rails, airports and sewers, and would help address flooded area roadways.

News 12 Staff

Aug 2, 2021, 9:29 PM

Updated 1,229 days ago

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In Washington, lawmakers are making progress toward passing a $1 trillion infrastructure plan.
The massive bipartisan bill is more than 2,700 pages and would fund upgrades to the nation's roads and bridges.
This bill would aim to improve not just roads and bridges, but public transit, rails, airports and sewers, and would help address flooded area roadways.
The long-awaited infrastructure bill will bring long-delayed funds to cities and counties like Westchester that can rarely afford to make these improvements on their own.
The Construction Industry Council of Westchester and the Hudson Valley represents hundreds of the region's construction businesses. They say this bill is long overdue.
John Cooney Jr., the Industry Council's executive director, says this money will help improve roads like Route 684 and Route 9A in Briarcliff Manor, and would prevent flooding on the Saw Mill Parkway.
"Our existing transportation network is below average, well below, and specifically even local roads, this will allow us to improve that catch up, which lowers cost for the commuter and allows in certain areas attract new business and investments," says Cooney.
The bipartisan bill still faces a rough road in the House, but Sen. Chuck Schumer says a final vote could be held in a matter of days.
The Construction Industry Council of Westchester and the Hudson Valley says if this gets passed soon, we can start to see infrastructure improvements in 2022 and beyond.